EAN

0724382968948

Writer

Garth Brooks

Studio/Live

Studio

Guest Artist

Trisha Yearwood; Bela Fleck; Donna McElroy; Sam Bush; Pat Flynn; John Cowan; Pat Alger; Gary Chapman; Howard Smith

Label

LCT

Performer Notes

Personnel includes: Garth Brooks (vocals); Mark Casstevens, Johnny Christopher (acoustic guitar); Pat Alger (acoustic guitar, background vocals); Chris Leuzinger (electric guitar); Bruce Bouton (steel guitar, background vocals); Jerry Douglas (dobro); Rob Hajacos (fiddle, background vocals); Sam Bush (fiddle, mandolin, background vocals); Terry McMillan (harmonica); Bobby Wood (piano, keyboards); Mike Chapman (bass, background vocals); Edgar Meyer (bass); Milton Sledge (drums, percussion).
Recorded at Jack's Tracks Recording Studio, Nashville, Tennessee. Includes liner notes by Garth Brooks.
It is almost redundant to have the words "Garth Brooks" and "THE HITS" on the same album cover because this country music phenom is synonymous with the term "hit." After selling a gazillion records and topping the country singles chart, Brooks' "best of" collection has brought him to the peak of the pop album chart as well.
Everything is in place on THE HITS. Included are the anthems ("Ain't Goin' Down," "Standing Outside The Fire" and the courageously inspirational "We Shall Be Free"), the power ballads ("The River," "The Thunder Rolls," "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and Garth's personal favorite, "The Dance"), the novelty hits ("Friends In Low Places," "America Honky Tonk Bar Association"), the pop cover (Billy Joel's "Shameless"), the cowboy songs ("Much Too Young To Feel This Damn Old," "Rodeo"), even a taste of zydeco ("Callin' Baton Rouge").
The 18 songs document five years of mixing traditional country with a well-defined pop orientation, making a mega-star out of Brooks and instant country classics out of his songs. Culled from five of his six albums (no cuts from the Christmas disc BEYOND THE SEASON), these prime selections provide an accurate account of Garth's young yet accomplished career. THE HITS is a godsend for fans, and a superb introduction for those one or two people who aren't already familiar with Brooks' work.

Professional Reviews

Entertainment Weekly (12/23/94, pp.62-64) - "...The 18 songs crammed onto THE HITS offer an easy-on-the-brain mix of James Tayloresque ballads, Western swing, and Southern rock....Songs like these show that country is still relevant, even progressive at times..." - Rating: B+

Musician (4/95, p.73) - "A talent savvy enough to play every chunk of country's new constituency, Brooks proves his mettle...by moving from...Western cliches...to...pop sheen....forget about any deeper significance..."